Today is the long awaited election here in the US. It is the day when the congressional balance of power will be decided. It is an important day for those of us who believe the government is currently taking our country in the wrong direction.
It was 42 years ago that I voted in my first election and cast my vote for the man you see in this 1958 ad for General Electric, Ronald Reagan.
I was a young adult and didn’t know much about politics. I did, however experience the gas shortage drama and had a feeling of uncertainty and a belief that things could be better.
My beloved grandmother had just passed away. She was a sweet nonagenarian whose favorite person was quarterback Roger Starbuck and least favorite was president Jimmy Carter. I figured that someone who had lived for 9 decades must know what she was talking about, so I cast my vote for Ronald Reagan on behalf of my grandmother.
After he was elected, things did get better and as I grew more into adulthood, I began to understand the value of a strong leader who had a love for the country and a vision for its future. Volumes have been written about Ronald Reagan and over time, even skeptics have given him credit for his leadership. Meanwhile, here is something about Reagan that you likely have not seen. After his acting days and before his life in politics, he was a spokesman for General Electric. Here is Reagan representing GE in an ad for the Medallion program along with Betty Furness for Westinghouse and Fran Allison for Whirlpool.
The ad appeared in the September 1958 edition of Better Homes and Gardens.
Mid-Century Page 
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